During the rollout of the new initiative, the drug will be available to people at increased risk of HIV infection

MOH informs that the long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA) is administered intramuscularly and is prescribed to people who have an increased risk of HIV infection. Ukraine received it as part of the US President's Emergency Initiative to help in the global fight against HIV/AIDS in the world.

CAB-LA is a new antiretroviral drug for HIV prevention. Its advantage is its long-lasting effect, which allows the drug to be taken less frequently than daily pills.

"Over the past three years, the number of people receiving pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV in Ukraine has tripled. This means that more and more of our citizens have access to the necessary protection. Now 118,348 Ukrainians are receiving antiretroviral drugs, with another 7,943 receiving treatment in EU countries. Together we can make a big step towards stopping the HIV epidemic", the Ministry of Health added.

After the registration is completed, CAB-LA will appear in hospitals in Kyiv and Lviv. The increase in new HIV cases in Lviv region over the past three years is 66%.